His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan chaired a meeting of the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council in Abu Dhabi to follow up on strategic plans and major technological projects. His Highness emphasized the emirate’s determination to establish its position as a global hub that develops advanced digital technologies rather than merely adopting them.
- An ambitious leadership vision that goes beyond mere technology adoption
- The first government administration entirely powered by artificial intelligence
- Restructuring of the strategic data center complex project
- Growing international partnerships and the establishment of the cyber operations force
- Frequently asked questions
An ambitious leadership vision that goes beyond mere technology adoption
The high-level governing body responsible for the artificial intelligence and advanced technology sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi held a high-level strategic meeting chaired by His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Technology Council, to monitor achievement rates and evaluate the emirate’s pivotal digital initiatives. The meeting was attended by His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Chairman of the Council, alongside a select group of senior officials and tech decision-makers in the United Arab Emirates.
During the meeting, His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed emphasized that Abu Dhabi’s future aspirations go beyond the consumerist model of importing and adopting off-the-shelf technologies, moving firmly toward developing algorithms locally, leading the path of technological innovation, and shaping the associated economic ecosystem. His Highness explained that all national investments, international partnerships, and advanced research projects collectively aim to establish a solid scientific and industrial foundation that contributes to generating knowledge, creating new specialized industries, and building a unique future government model that places artificial intelligence at the heart of its developmental operations.
The first government administration entirely powered by artificial intelligence
Council members discussed a package of strategic national initiatives that include attracting and qualifying specialized scientific talent, expanding the scope of advanced research, and building open-source computing models, in addition to pursuing the ambitious government goal of transforming the Abu Dhabi government into the world’s first administration entirely and authentically powered by artificial intelligence by 2027. The council serves as the highest authority and entity responsible for setting general policies, defining developmental priorities, and directing strategic investments in this vital sector.
This expanded meeting was attended by His Excellency Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary-General of the Council; His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber; His Excellency Faisal Abdulaziz Al Bannai; and Mr. Peng Xiao. Attendees affirmed the commitment of various affiliated institutions and entities to accelerate the implementation of approved plans to enhance the emirate’s technological sovereignty and ensure its superiority and competitiveness on the international stage in high-performance computing and data science.
Restructuring of the strategic data center complex project
The meeting coincided with reports indicating engineering and logistical modifications to the joint UAE-US artificial intelligence campus project with a total capacity of up to 5 gigawatts. Informed sources clarify that current regional tensions prompted officials to redistribute the planned complex, which was set to span 10 square miles in the capital, transforming it instead into a distributed and protected network of geographically interconnected data centers across different regions of the country, while studying advanced defensive measures and fortified underground facilities to secure critical infrastructure.
The leading national group G42 is spearheading this mega-project, confirming in press releases that construction and technical work are proceeding according to the outlined schedule while undergoing periodic and continuous review operations. The first phase, a 1-gigawatt computing complex named “Stargate UAE,” is set to move forward through a close strategic partnership with global corporation Oracle, aiming to provide advanced processing capabilities that support complex scientific research and industrial applications.
Growing international partnerships and the establishment of the cyber operations force
The establishment of this ambitious project dates back to strategic agreements concluded during former US President Donald Trump’s visit to the region in May 2025, where the UAE agreed to enhance its exclusive technology partnerships with the United States in exchange for securing continuous flows of the latest artificial intelligence chips and processors produced by global leader Nvidia.
On the joint security front, bilateral cooperation between the two countries witnessed notable qualitative leaps represented by the establishment of a specialized task force last July named the “Talon Synapse Task Force.” This joint force comprises around 20 high-level experts and specialists in artificial intelligence, data analysis, and cybersecurity, headquartered in the capital Abu Dhabi with the aim of accelerating the pace of innovation and development for defensive protection tools and advanced digital technologies supporting national security and regional technological stability.
Frequently asked questions
Question: What is the primary government goal Abu Dhabi seeks to achieve by 2027?
Answer: The emirate aims to transition into the world’s first public administration and government entirely and authentically powered by artificial intelligence technologies.
Question: How was the layout of the UAE-US artificial intelligence complex modified?
Answer: The project was transformed from a unified 10-square-mile complex into a distributed national network of protected data centers and secured facilities to align with geopolitical requirements.
Question: What is the mission of the Talon Synapse joint operations force in Abu Dhabi?
Answer: The force includes a select group of American and Emirati experts to develop defensive solutions and advanced cybersecurity tools powered by artificial intelligence and big data.
